


Rum Truffles

by Aurone



Series: Hero University [2]
Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Chocolate, Fluff, Jealous Barnaby, M/M, Making Chocolate, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 09:39:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13633665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurone/pseuds/Aurone
Summary: Karina has not given up on wresting Kotetsu's affections from Barnaby.  Barnaby proves that he is a formidable foe when it comes to Kotetsu's affections.





	Rum Truffles

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!! Usually this not my favorite holiday, probably because I have spent most of them painfully single (including this one coming up). But instead of feeling sorry for myself, I thought this year I would gift y'all with some Tiger and Bunny fluff in honor of the holiday. Hope you enjoy it.   
> This one-shot takes place after [You Look Good in My Shirt](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10585614) I head cannon that You Look Good in My Shirt takes place sometime in the Fall semester and Rum Truffles in the following Spring Semester. You don't have to necessarily read You Look Good in My Shirt to read this one. It stands on its own.

Karina was furious. She huffed angrily as she walked down the street.  

_ How dare Barnaby.  Prancing around in Kotetsu’s shirt like he was marking his territory.  Like he had won or something.   Barnaby has another thing coming.  I am not ready to give up on Kotetsu, yet.  Challenge accepted. _

She walked by a candy speciality store and the display caught her eye.  It would be Valentine’s Day soon, which would be the perfect opportunity to make her move. Karina knew that fancy chocolates were a significant gift for Valentine’s day in Japan.  She went into the store.

_ I have no idea what Kotetsu’s favorite is.  I’ll just get an assortment box.   _

Karina was smiling as she left the chocolatier even though she had just paid way too much for a box of chocolate.

***

Karina made sure to go by Kotetsu’s apartment early on Valentine’s Day.  They didn’t share a class on Valentine’s Day and Karina wanted to be sure that Kotetsu got the chocolates today.  She knocked on the boys’ apartment door.  Nathan answered the door.

Karina asked, “Is Kotetsu home?”

Nathan nodded and said, “He is in the kitchen finishing up breakfast.  He has class soon.”

Karina said, “Thanks, I’ll be quick.”

Nathan stepped back from the door and allowed Karina to enter.  Kotetsu looked up when Karina entered the kitchen.

Kotetsu said, “Hey, Karina.  What’s up?”

Karina said, “Happy Valentine’s Day.” 

She handed Kotetsu the chocolate she had bought him.

Kotetsu, surprised, said, “Thank you?”

“You are welcome.  I’ll see you in class tomorrow.” 

Karina, blushing, walked out of the kitchen and headed to her first class of the day.  

_ Hopefully Barnaby will forget about today then Kotetsu will see that I would make a better girlfriend then Barnaby is a boyfriend. _

Kotetsu sat stunned for a moment looking at the chocolate on the kitchen table.

Confused he said, “She does know I have a boyfriend, right?”

Nathan chuckled, “Hmm, she should.  Handsome made it perfectly clear last semester that you belonged to him.”

Kotetsu blushed remembering that particular Saturday.  It ended up being a very good day. Kotetsu just shrugged. 

_ Who knows what goes on in the mind of that girl.  I thought I made it clear that I am not interested.  Evidently she can’t take a hint.  _

Kotetsu said, “Going to leave the chocolate here.  You and Antonio can have it. I would feel weird eating it.”

Nathan nodded and said, “I am sure Antonio won’t mind helping to disposed of the chocolates.  You had better finish getting ready for class and go, or you will be late.”

Kotetsu looked at his watch and said, “Damn, you’re right.  I am gonna be late.  See you tonight.”

He ran to his room and finished getting ready for class.  He grabbed his books and ran out the door.  The chocolates were already forgotten. 

***

Barnaby got back to the apartment in the afternoon.  He mostly had early classes. When he got back, Antonio was sitting at the kitchen table studying and eating what looked like some fancy chocolate.

Barnaby greeted Antonio, “Hey.”

Antonio replied, “How’s it going?”

“Pretty good.  Where did those come from?”

“The chocolate?”

Barnaby nodded.

“Karina brought them by for Kotetsu for Valentine’s Day.”

Barnaby exclaimed, “What?  That bitch.  She knows Kotetsu and I are dating.  Why would she do that except to try and break us up?”

Antonio shrugged. 

Barnaby said, “Why did Kotetsu accept them?”

Antonio replied, “Probably just to be polite. Just how he is.  He didn’t eat any of them.  Gave them to Nathan and me.”

Barnaby thought  _ what can I do that would be better than those chocolates? She obviously spent a lot on them.  Could I make some?  Homemade is always better than bought, right? _

Barnaby took out his smartphone and googled how to make chocolates. 

_ Doesn’t look too hard.  I bet I can do this. Take that, Karina.  _

Barnaby went into the kitchen proper and got out the pots and bowls necessary to make his creations. 

Antonio, curious, asked, “What’cha doing?”

“Barnaby said, “I am going to make Kotetsu some chocolates for Valentine’s Day.”

Antonio raised his eyebrows and said, “She really gets to you, doesn’t she? You know Kotetsu is not at all interested in her, right?”

Barnaby just growled back at Antonio. 

Antonio thought  _ think I’ll just leave this alone. Nathan can meddle if he wants.  I like my limbs where they are.  _

 

_ *** _

When Nathan returned to the apartment after his last class, he was greeted by the terrible smell of burnt chocolate. 

“What are you boys doing in here?” Nathan asked.

Antonio replied, “Barnaby is trying to make chocolates for Kotetsu but he isn’t being very successful at it.”

Barnaby scowled at Antonio.  Nathan went into the kitchen.  His eyes widened at the mess that Barnaby had made. 

“What brought this on?” Nathan asked.

“Karina.” Barnaby growled.

Nathan was confused for a moment, having forgotten that the girl had brought chocolates by that morning.  Understanding suddenly dawned on the boy. 

“The chocolates.” 

Barnaby nodded.  

Nathan said, “Ok, Handsome.  I am going to help you out.  I have done this before.  We’re going to make the best chocolates Kotetsu has ever had.”

Barnaby smiled and said, “Thanks.”

“First of all we need to know what Kotetsu’s favorite is.”

“How are we going to figure that out?”

“We’ll ask Antonio.  He and Kotetsu have been friends forever.  He should know.”

Nathan walked back to the kitchen table where Antonio was still sitting.

Nathan asked, “What’s Kotetsu’s favorite chocolate?”

Antonio replied, “Ah, it’s a hard one to come by, but he loves rum truffles.  Whenever we go to a candy store he always looks for them and is always disappointed. My favorite, turtles, are much easier to find.  He is always mad that we can find them but not his truffles.”

Antonio chuckled at the memory.

Nathan replied, “Thanks, sweetie.”

Antonio blushed as Nathan walked back into the kitchen. 

Nathan said, “Let’s clean up your mess first.  I know what we are making now and I will google us a recipe.”

Barnaby nodded and began to clean up the tragedy that was their kitchen.   Nathan retrieved the double boiler that he just happened to have.

Barnaby said, “I didn’t know we had one of those.  Why do we have one of those?”

Nathan replied, “Because I like to make confections every once in awhile.”

Barnaby shook his head and asked, “So what do you want me to do?  You are the one with experience here, I’ll follow your lead.  I want these to be good for Kotetsu.”

Nathan dictated instructions as Barnaby carried them out. 

Nathan thought  _ Handsome looks downright domestic standing in front of the stove mixing together those ingredients.  He is really serious about making these for Kotetsu.   _

Once the mixture that Barnaby had made cooled a bit, Nathan and Barnaby shaped them into balls. While the rum balls chilled, Barnaby and Nathan made some turtles. And if some of those turtles found themselves in a box left for a certain someone, well that is story for another time. 

Once the rum balls were chilled, Nathan and Barnaby worked together to dip them in chocolate. Barnaby did the initial dipping and Nathan use some white chocolate to create embellishments to the chocolate.  When they were finished, they had some lovely looking rum truffles. They scraped up a nice looking box to put them in.  Barnaby then cleaned up the kitchen.

Barnaby said, “Nathan, thanks for your help.  This would not have gone as well if you didn’t help me.”

Nathan replied, “You are welcome, Handsome.  What are friends for?  Besides I like you and Kotetsu together.  You both seem happier.”

Barnaby blushed. 

***

Barnaby was sitting alone in the living room when Kotetsu got home. 

Kotetsu greeted Barnaby, “Hey, Bunny.”

Barnaby frowned and said, “I wish you would drop that pet name.”

Kotetsu chuckled, “But you are so cute, baby.”

Barnaby rolled his eyes.  

After hanging up his coat and putting his bag away, Kotetsu sat down next to Barnaby.

Barnaby asked, “How was class?”

“Boring as usual.  What did you do this afternoon?”

“I made these for you.”

Barnaby handed Kotetsu the box of chocolates.  Kotetsu opened the box and looked at the chocolates. 

“You made these for me?  Why?”

Barnaby shrugged and said, “It’s Valentine’s Day?”

Kotetsu blushed and stuttered, “But I didn’t do anything for you.”

Barnaby shrugged and said, “Let’s follow the Japanese custom, and you can do something for me on White Day.”

Kotetsu raised his eyebrows.

_ I am surprised he knows the Japanese customs.  _

Kotetsu said, “Okay, can I try one of these?”

Barnaby replied, “Go ahead.  They are yours.”

Kotetsu took a bite of one of the truffles. His eyes opened wide when he realized that Barnaby had made his favorite.

Kotetsu said, “You made rum truffles!  How did you know they were my favorite?”

“Antonio.”

Kotetsu was impressed that Barnaby thought to ask Antonio about his favorite chocolate. 

Kotetsu asked, “Want a taste?”

Barnaby replied, “mhm.”

Kotetsu held out a bite of the truffle to Barnaby.  Barnaby reached out and grasped Kotetsu’s shirt and pulled him closer.  He kissed Kotetsu who gasped.  Barnaby took the opportunity to slip his tongue into Kotetsu’s mouth. He licked Kotetsu’s mouth clean of the chocolate taste.  He ended the kiss and then let Kotetsu go.  Kotetsu leaned back from Barnaby, a glazed look on his face. 

_ Glad I was sitting down. _

Barnaby said, “Hmm, good.”

Kotetsu grumbled, “Not what I had in mind.”

Barnaby chuckled and said, “But you liked it.”

Kotetsu blushed and nodded his head. 

*****

The Next Day in Class

 

Barnaby shared his first class of the day with Karina.  Kotetsu wasn’t in this particular class with them so they had a general understanding of ignoring one another. Today, however, Karina sauntered over to Barnaby’s seat before class started.

“Yes?” Barnaby asked when he saw Karina hanging around his seat.

“How did Kotetsu like the chocolates I gave him yesterday?” Karina smugly asked.

“Hmm, he didn’t eat them.” Barnaby replied smirking.

“What?” Karina asked confused.

“He gave them to Antonio and Nathan who quite enjoyed them by the way.” 

“But why?”

“He only accepted them to be polite, Karina.  You aren’t going to steal him from me with chocolates.  You’re gonna have to do better than that. Besides, I  _ made _ chocolates for him—his favorite.  And those he did eat.”

Karina huffed and went back to her seat to wait for class to start. 

Barnaby chuckled at the girl’s reaction.   _ Barnaby 2; Karina 0. _ _ That poor girl doesn’t stand a chance.  _

**Author's Note:**

> So maybe you want to subscribe to this series because maybe Kotetsu is going to return the favor on White Day. Thanks for reading.


End file.
